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Paleo drinks

Contrary to popular believe, the watermelon is not all water and little else. Watermelons have a good amount of vitamins, minerals and essential amino acids.

When picking a watermelon, go for one that is fully ripe: typically one that has darker skin and darker flesh. The riper the watermelon the more lycopene it provides. Lycopene is a phytonutrient that supports cardiovascular health.

Another content of the watermelon that is currently being researched due to scientific interest is citrulline. Citrulline converts to arginine in the body, which assist with blood flow. It’s thought that the more arginine produced the less fat can be stored in cells, consequently helping with detoxification and weight loss.

Benefits aside, watermelon makes for a refreshing summer treat and in this nutrient-packed smoothie, provides natural energy to get you through the day.

INGREDIENTS

RECIPE

Place the ice cubes in a blender and blend until crushed.
Add the banana, watermelon, blueberries and Chia seeds and blend for about a minute, until liquified.
Pour into a large glass or to-go cup and enjoy while cool.

We get asked about alcohol a lot, so we thought it was time to share our thoughts on drinking alcohol on the Paleo Diet in a blog post.

The most popular question we get is of course, “Can you drink on the Paleo Diet?”

We always like to answer that with a smile and, “Would we do this if we couldn’t?!”

Joking aside, while the stricter schools of Paleo do not believe alcohol consumption to be a Paleo practice and we ourselves are not promoters of regular drinking on any diet, we don’t think that a drink for enjoyment now and then should be frowned upon–after all, life is meant to be enjoyed–so don’t deprive yourself. That said, your Paleo Diet food Pyramid should definitely not look like this:

What it comes down to however, is making healthy choices. On a modern Paleo Diet the same principles apply to alcohol as they do to food. That means steering clear whenever possible of the Paleo-unfriendly food groups and items such as wheat, white potatoes and refined sugar. What does that mean in alcohol terms? It means avoiding wheat beers, liquors like vodka that are made out of white potato, and sugary cocktails or mixers that typically have large amounts of cane sugar. Try and limit your alcohol consumption to gluten-free beers, ciders with low sugar content and wine.

You may also experience a lowered tolerance for alcohol since following the Paleo lifestyle, as you are no longer consuming large quantities of carbohydrates which help absorb alcohol. Just tell people you’re a bargain for a date! But in all seriousness, because of this you may find yourself feeling the effects of alcohol faster, so please be careful. You may also find that the natural sugar in most wines, for example, causes blood sugar spikes and, if enjoyed too late at night, may hinder your ability to sleep soundly.

It’s a personal decision as to how you feel about incorporating alcohol into your Paleo Diet and an equally personal experience as to how your body copes with it.

Our advice is to listen to your body and, if you do choose to indulge, try to limit your indulgences to the more Paleo-friendly alcohol choices.